(The Center Square) – A new study shows “significant improvements” in student test scores in concert with banning cellphones in Florida schools.
The gains came in the second year of the ban, according to the study by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
“The findings suggest that cellphone bans in schools significantly reduce student unexcused absences, an effect that may explain a large fraction of the test score gains,” says a summary of the study.
School systems nationwide have increased imposing cellphone bans. Thirty states have either passed statewide bans on cellphones in schools or have recommended that local districts do so, according to the new study.
Florida in May 2023 was the first state with a prohibition.
The study examined data, including test scores, from a large, unidentified urban Florida school district, one of the 10 largest districts in the nation.
“We observe a significant jump in student disciplinary incidents and suspensions right after the transition period in the first year of the ban when the district started referring students for disciplinary action due to cellphone use infractions,” the study states.
The suspension rate doubled in the month immediately after the ban was imposed, the study found, but in the second year of the ban, returned to the rates before the ban was imposed.
Test scores also increased in the second year of the ban, particularly for male students, according to the study.
Unexcused absences also dropped, “providing suggestive evidence” that more student engagement and a better school climate have a positive impact on test scores.
“Overall, our findings reveal that cellphone bans could improve student outcomes, yet these benefits come at the cost of elevated suspension rates in the short term,” the study concluded. “The challenge that educators face then is to minimize these short-term adverse effects until a new status quo without cellphones is established in schools.”
The study was conducted by David N. Figlio of the University of Rochester and Umut Özek of the Rand Corporation.
National Bureau of Economic Research studies are issued for “discussion and comment purposes,” and have not been peer reviewed.
